Post-operative nose stent



Feb. 11, 1969 M. G. RADEWAN 3,426,751

POST-OPERATIVE NOSE STENT Filed Jan. 5/ 1967 INVENTOR EHg-A MILTON Ci.EADEWAN ma n gmwiak um wmb AITORNEYS United States Patent 3 Claims Thisinvention pertains in general to surgical splints, and more particularlyto a stent to be utilized post-operatively on rhinoplasty patient.

The currently utilized dressing for post-operative rhinoplasty patientsis generally considered inferior due to the numerous difiicultiesencountered in properly utilizing these dressings. For example, thedental mold compound appears to have a weight which is excessively heavyfor a newly operated upon nose, and because of this, the dental compoundapplies excessive pressure to the nose. If the compound is applied verythinly to the nose, it tends to buckle away and to be ineffective. Andif, in fact, the compound is applied of sufficient thickness to form aproper stent, it applies too much pressure upon the nose. The commonlyused aluminum stent has always been difficult to shape properly withoutputting undue pressure upon certain areas of the nose and it is alsodifficult to get a proper fit utilizing the aluminum stent.

Therefore, it is a provision of the present invention to provide a stentto be utilized post-operatively on rhinoplasty patients which isextremely easy to use and which permits the application of varyingpressures upon the nose to correspond with the needs of the patient.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a stent tobe utilized post-operatively on rhinoplasty patients which not onlyholds the nasal structure in position, but also applies pressure againstthe nasal packing to reduce post-operative edema and post-operativehemorrhaging.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of astent which eliminates the need for extensive narrowing stitches in thenose by pulling the cheek tissues toward the nose with the help of asecuring member which engages the present stent and holds it aifixed tothe cheek tissues.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a stent whichis easily manufactured and which may be marketed at a comparatively lowprice for use with rhinoplastypatients.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the invention will becomeapparent from the following descrip tion, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings showing only a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation view of a rhinoplasty patient whose noseis shown taped and bandaged after rhinoplasty, but before applying theinvention;

FIGURE 2 discloses a front elevation view of a rhinoplasty patient withthe splints held in place upon the nose;

FIGURE 3 shows a front elevation view of a rhinoplasty patient havingthe stent placed in operative position upon the nose;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section view taken along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3;and

FIGURE 5 discloses the stent of the present invention and the necessaryparaphernalia which is utilized with the invention to hold the nose inproper condition.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several figures, the nose stent to beutilized with rhinoplasty patients is indicated generally by the numeral11. It is anticipated that the stent 11 will generally be made instandard shapes and sizes; however, because of varying nose structures,it should be apparent that the stent will at times be either enlarged,or made smaller to more adequately form the nose to the desiredconfiguration. In any even, the stent will conform to the overallconfiguration herein shown.

Generally, the stent 11 will be manufactured of resilient spring steeland formed in a stylized U shaped configuration wherein the legs 12 ofthe stent bend outwardly in relation to the interior of the U and thensubsequently terminate in a sharply bent outwardly disposed curl hook13. It is within the intermediate leg 14 wherein the legs of the Ushaped stent bend outwardly that normally engage the nose of the patientto form the operating surfaces of the stent which hold the nose in itsproper shape.

In utilizing the present invention the rhinoplasty patient generally hashis nose bandaged with adhesive tape 15 after the surgery and suchbandaging is shown in FIG- URE 1. Once the nose has been taped, a pairof splints 16 are placed on opposing sides of the nose to help maintainthe nose in its fixed position. It is anticipated that the splints 16may be of any common thin construction such as a tongue depressor cut tothe desired length. It is relatively unimportant how the splints 16 aremade so long as they are rigid and of suflicient length to accomplishthe intended purpose. To hold the splints 16 in proper position untilthe stent 11 is placed upon the nose, there is provided a suitable strip15a of adhesive tape which encompasses the splints 16 and continues onto adhesively secure to the facial tissues of the patient.

At this point a pair of adhesive members 15b are pro vided with anaperture 17 in one end thereof which is adapted to be inserted over thecurl hook 13. The free ends of the tape member 15b are then secured tothe facial tissues of the patient in such a manner that the stent issuitably spread a suflicient distance to fit over the splints 16 so thatthe stent will exert a return pressure upon the tape members 15b to pullthe cheek tissues toward the nose thus eliminating the need forextensive narrowing stitches. In addition, the tape members 15b arepositioned that if there is a tendency for the nose to lean to one sideof the face or the other, this can be relieved by exerting more pressureupon one side of the stent than upon the other side by properpositioning of the tape members 15b. In addition, the complete compositepressure of the stent upon the nose may be varied to provide a verycomfortable apparatus for the patient.

As can be seen from the present invention, a postoperative nose stent isshown which may be used upon a variety of patients, and yet may bemaintained within the very limited number of standard sizes which aresuitably aflixed to the patients nose to give a form fit which has notbeen available with the prior art devices.

While I have particularly shown and described one particular embodimentof the invention, it is distinctly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto but that modifications may be made within the scope ofthe invention and such variations as are covered by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A post-operative stent for rhinoplasty patients adapted to be mountedupon the patients nose comprising a substantially U shaped leaf springmember having two legs interconnected by an arcuate member to therebyform the U shaped spring member, each leg having one freely disposedend, an intermediate portion on each leg disposed between the arcuatemember and the freely disposed end, the intermediate portions having aconcave curvature that flares the freely disposed ends outwardly fromone another, the intermediate portions normally being positionedimmediately adjacent the patients nose in flanking relation thereto,means integral with the freely disposed ends to secure the spring memberto the patient.

2. A post-operative stent for rhinoplasty patients adapted to be mountedupon the patients nose as set forth in claim 1, wherein the meansintegral with the freely disposed ends to secure the spring member tothe patient comprises a curl hook on each end to which securing meansare adapted to be attached for holding the spring member in operativeposition, the curl hook being an extension of the leg which bendssharply outwardly and rearwardly to form the book.

3. A post-operative cast for rhinoplasty patients adapted to be mountedupon the patients nose comprising in combination an elongated splintmeans mounted in flanking relation upon the patients nose, asubstantially U shaped leaf spring member having two legs interconnectedby an arcuate member to thereby form the U shaped spring member, eachleg having one freely disposed end, an intermediate portion on each legdisposed References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 1899 Great Britain. 3/1947France.

L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 128325

1. A POST-OPERATIVE STENT OR RHINOPLASTY PATIENTS ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTEDUPON THE PATIENT''S NOSE COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY U SHAPED LEAF SPRINGMEMBER HAVING TWO LEGS INTERCONNECTED BY AN ARCUATE MEMBER TO THEREBYFORM THE U SHAPED SPRING MEMBER, EACH LEG HAVING ONE FREELY DISPOSEDEND, AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION ON EACH LEG DISPOSED BETWEEN THE ARCUATEMEMBER AND THE FREELY DISPOSED END, THE INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS HAVING ACONCAVE CURVATURE THAT FLARES THE FREELY DISPOSED ENDS OUTWARDLY FROMONE ANOTHER, THE INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS NORMALLY BEING POSITIONEDIMMEDIATELY ADJACENT THE PATIENT''S NOSE IN FLANKING RELATION THERETO,MEANS INTEGRAL WITH THE FREELY DISPOSED ENDS TO SECURE THE SPRING MEMBERTO THE PATIENT.